Have You Heard the Rumours?

On 01/05/201501/05/2015 By stuartakenIn Author, Book2 Comments

There’s a buzz going round that Fantastic Books Publishing are planning to publish the new edition of The Methuselah Strain. I self-published this near-future sci-fi novella a while ago, but Dan, my publisher, believed it deserved more attention. I penned a new section and Dan’s excellent design team have produced a new cover and some …

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Running and Writing for ME/CFS No.30

On 26/04/2015 By stuartakenIn Author, charity, Fundraising, ME/CFS, Progress4 Comments

Running: This week’s training started with a 15 minute ‘easy’ run on Wednesday. I covered a little more ground than on the last time I did this run. Friday was a 20 minute easy run and, again, I covered a little more ground through the forest alive with birdsong and sunlight. Today, Sunday, was a …

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Secrets and Lies in El Salvador, by Sherrie Miranda, Reviewed.

On 23/04/2015 By stuartakenIn Author, Book, Review2 Comments

This novel reads like a personal account; it is presented in a way that takes the reader straight into the life of the protagonist as she finds herself. There are elements of the confessional here, suggestions of reportage, instances of the documentary. Secrets and Lies in El Salvador is written with passion, through the eyes …

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Running and Writing for ME/CFS No.29

On 20/04/2015 By stuartakenIn Author, charity, ME/CFS, Progress2 Comments

Confession: I really should have decided at the beginning of this week to write it off for the purposes of the book and the running. Wednesday saw Valerie and I bidding farewell to our daughter at Gatwick Airport. We’d stayed overnight in a B & B there so she could be in plenty of time …

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Running and Writing for ME/CFS No.28

On 12/04/2015 By stuartakenIn Author, Book, charity, ME/CFS

Running: The programme for this week was a 10-minute easy run on Wednesday, and 15-minute easy runs on Friday and Sunday. I managed Friday and Sunday with no problems, but Wednesday was a different matter. On Tuesday, as part of our on-going conversion of the slope at the end of our garden from briar and …

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IndieReCon – It’s Coming! It’s Coming

On 11/04/2015 By stuartakenIn Author, Book

There’s a free, online self-publishing conference taking place next week. It’s the third year of IndieReCon, and they have an action-packed schedule filled with all sorts of great stuff – a mixture of posts, vlogs, webinars, as well as the opportunity to drill deeper into the various topics with a series of online and Twitter …

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Running and Writing for ME/CFS No.27

On 06/04/2015 By stuartakenIn Author, Book, charity, Fundraising, ME/CFS2 Comments

Running: This week, we travelled back up north to our native Yorkshire and collected our daughter, Kate, from her digs with a friend. She’s finished her temporary waitressing job in the area is staying with us in our new home in the Forest of Dean until the middle of the month. Then she flies out …

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The Paintings, by Linda Acaster, Reviewed.

On 23/03/2015 By stuartakenIn Author, Book, Review4 Comments

Linda Acaster’s, The Paintings, is not a book to read before bed, unless, of course, you prefer nightmares to sweet dreams. This short chiller is subtly sinister, as it builds a story of the apparent ordinary into something with supernatural hints and underlying threats to reach a climax that is as satisfying as it is …

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Mantle of Malice, by April Taylor, Reviewed.

On 16/03/2015 By stuartakenIn Author, Book, Review4 Comments

Mantle of Malice is the third book in the Tudor Enigma series, and, having read them all, I’d say it’s the best so far. In this alternative fantasy history, the main protagonist, Luke Ballard, has matured and grown in wisdom and experience. That’s not to say he no longer makes mistakes or has somehow overcome …

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Disorganisation, Distractions, Discipline and Desire.

On 01/03/2015 By stuartakenIn Author, Creative Writer, Organisation, Progress4 Comments

Some work best in disorder, with apparent chaos ruling. Some need order, pattern and habit to produce their best. I belong to the ‘clear desk’ brigade. Not from any notion that chaos is generally undesirable or disruptive, but because my memory isn’t good enough to cope with the randomness of a disorganised way of living. …

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Tips on Word Choice No. 24: Ruled by Intellect or Emotion?

On 24/02/2015 By stuartakenIn Author, Book, Creative Writer, Word Use2 Comments

Certain words/phrases can induce fairly specific responses in readers. As writers, we all know this, but do we use the power of emotion in our work? For these few weeks, I’m looking at something subjective: how to choose between emotional and intellectual words for effect. You won’t always agree with me, of course; you’re writers. …

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Tips on Word Choice No.23: Ruled by Intellect or Emotion?

On 17/02/2015 By stuartakenIn Author, charity, Creative Writer, ME/CFS, Word Use

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Running and Writing for ME/CFS No.19

On 08/02/2015 By stuartakenIn Author, Book, charity

Writing: At last! I’ve started the actual writing of the book. 2,000 words so far, which constitutes the opening chapter. Of course, the way I write means I’ll have to edit when I’ve finished the whole book, but that’s all part of my creative process. I’m aiming to have the book finished and ready to …

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Tips on Word Choice No.20: Ruled by Intellect or Emotion?

On 28/01/2015 By stuartakenIn Author, Book, Creative Writer, Word Use

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Wrong! A Themed Anthology 2014, Edited by Deborah Owen; Reviewed.

On 25/01/2015 By stuartakenIn Author, Book, Creative Writer

This collection of short fiction from many different authors is based on the following theme: ‘I have a list and a map. What can possibly go wrong?’ And, of course, these creative authors show the reader just what can go wrong. I confess at this point that I’m a guest author for this anthology, but …

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